Tinubu lifts six-month state of emergency in Rivers

President Bola Tinubu has suspended the emergency rule in Rivers State.

In a statement released by the Presidency on Wednesday, Tinubu asked Siminalayi Fubara, the suspended governor, to resume work on Thursday, September 18.

The President also asked the Deputy Governor, Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to resume their duties.

Tinubu explained that invoking Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution was “painfully inevitable” to arrest the drift toward anarchy, adding that suspending elected officials was the only way to restore order. The National Assembly ratified the proclamation, while over 40 court cases were filed to challenge it.

“Today, there is a new spirit of understanding, readiness, and enthusiasm among stakeholders in Rivers State for an immediate return to democratic governance,” the President said. “I therefore do not see why the state of emergency should exist a day longer than the six months I pronounced.”

He thanked Rivers residents, traditional rulers, and the National Assembly for their support during the emergency, and urged political leaders nationwide to put peace and good governance above personal rivalries.

“I implore all governors and lawmakers to remember that it is only in an atmosphere of peace, order, and good government that we can deliver the dividends of democracy to our people,” he said.

The emergency officially ends at midnight on September 17, 2025.